• Utah Valley hosts Grand Canyon in a WAC showdown on Thursday night at the UCCU Center. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.  The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and over the airwaves on the Wolverine Sports Network (960 AM/103.9 FM in Utah County, 98.3 FM/101.5 HD2 in Salt Lake County).
   
• Utah Valley opened WAC play with a 64-53 win over Abilene Christian on Saturday afternoon at the UCCU Center. Dominick Nelson led the Wolverines with 16 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks, while Kylin Green added 11 points off the bench. UVU outscored ACU 40-22 in the paint.
   
• Utah Valley wrapped up non-conference play with three straight wins, including a record-setting 119-59 victory over Bethesda last Saturday at the UCCU Center. Tanner Toolson led the Wolverines with 21 points as UVU set program records for points scored in the UCCU Center (119) and made field goals in a game (49). Prior to that, UVU picked up back-to-back road wins over Big Sky opponents, defeating Idaho State 70-56 on Dec. 18, led by Carter Welling's career-high 23 points and nine rebounds, and edging Weber State 64-62 on Dec. 21 behind Welling's 22 points, six rebounds, and five blocks. The Wolverines enter WAC play with momentum and an 8-6 overall record.
   
• Utah Valley holds an impressive 84-20 (80.8%) home record since March 4, 2017, and an all-time 235-66 (78.1%) mark at the UCCU Center as it competes in its 22nd season at the venue. The Wolverines are a perfect 5-0 at home this season and have won 31 of their last 35 games on their home court. UVU's 14 home wins in 2022-23 tied the program record, and the team boasts the 63rd-best home court advantage in the nation, according to KenPom.com.
   
• After opening the season with two games at home, Utah Valley spent over a month on the road with seven straight road games, culminating in a setback at James Madison on Dec. 7. The Wolverines have played 10 of their 14 non-conference games on the road, traveling a total of 15,180 miles during this stretch. Key stops included Murray, Kentucky; Birmingham, Alabama; Stanford, California; Harrisonburg, Virginia; Jacksonville, Alabama; Pocatello, Idaho; and Ogden, Utah.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Thursday's game against Grand Canyon will be broadcast live on ESPN+, with Ethan Jordan and Josh Kallunki on the call. The broadcast is available on the ESPN app and at ESPNplus.com. The game will also be broadcast over the air waves on the Wolverine Sports Network with Jim McCulloch and Brice Larson on the call. The radio broadcast will be aired live on ESPN 960 AM/103.9 FM in Utah County and 98.3 FM/105.1 (HD2) in Salt Lake City, with a live stream available at ESPN960sports.com. Larson will host the pregame, halftime, and postgame show for the game.

ABOUT GRAND CANYON
Grand Canyon enters Thursday's game with an 11-4 overall record, with nine of its 11 wins coming at home. The Lopes hold a 0-1 record on the road this season and a 1-0 mark in WAC play after defeating Southern Utah 82-71 in their conference opener. GCU brings a five-game win streak into Orem, Utah. Junior center Duke Brennan leads the team in rebounding with 9.2 boards per game and is coming off consecutive double-doubles, including a 16-point, 15-rebound performance against Southern Utah. GCU ranks among the nation's best in several statistical categories, including 4th in free throws made per game (20.1) and 13th in steals per game (10.2). Offensively, the Lopes average 79.8 points per game and boast a +10.3 scoring margin, which leads the WAC. Graduate swingman Tyon Grant-Foster is also a key contributor, averaging 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

SERIES HISTORY VS. THE LOPES
Utah Valley and Grand Canyon will meet for the 25th time on the basketball hardwood on Thursday night. GCU holds an all-time 15-9 advantage in the series and has won five of the past six meetings with the Wolverines. Utah Valley's last win over the Lopes came on Jan. 21, 2023 in Phoenix. UVU is 5-5 all-time against GCU in Orem. UVU's last win over GCU in Orem was a 92-80 win over the Lopes on Feb. 22, 2020.

LAST TIME VS. GCU: Grand Canyon 86, Utah Valley 67 (2/3/24 - Orem, Utah)
Caleb Stone-Carrawell scored 15 points and Tanner Toolson added 14 to lead Utah Valley in an 86-67 setback to Grand Canyon on Feb. 3, 2024 at the UCCU Center. Stone-Carrawell scored his 15 points on a 6-of-17 clip from the field, including a 3-of-9 mark from long range. He also pulled down six rebounds with two assists and a block. Toolson connected on 4-of-11 shots from the field, all from beyond the arc, for his 14 points. He also tallied five rebounds with one assist and a block.